Specification of Walter Blundell : apparatus for applying freezing mixtures to parts of the human body preparatory to surgical operations.

  • Blundell, Walter.
Date:
1855
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Specification of Walter Blundell : apparatus for applying freezing mixtures to parts of the human body preparatory to surgical operations. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Provisional Specification. Blundell's Improved Apparatus for Surgical Operations. known freezing mixture to flow or circulate tlirougli a bladder attached to the apparatus, said bladder being employed in the manner and for the purpose herein-after stated. It would be well here to observe that I am aware of a mode having heretofore been employed for benumbing the sense of feeling at any desired part of the human body, for the purpose of facilitating surgical 5 operations and rendering them less objectionable than heretofore, and such benumbing operation has been partially effected by the application of a cold • fluid to the part to be benumbed, for the purpose of absorbing the heat from such part. The objection to this mode of operating is, that as soon as the temperature of the cooling fluid becomes raised to that of the part to which it 10 is applied, it ceases to produce any further effect until a fresh quantity of cooling fluid is applied, and therefore only partially benumbs the part, and does not, therefore, effect the desired object. And I obviate this objection and render perfect the benumbing operation by so arranging and constructing the part which contains the cooling fluid, as that the said fluid is kept con- 15 tinually circulating through the same, and therefore has the effect of carrying off the heat from the part to which it is applied as fast it is absorbed by the fluid, and thereby produces the desired benumbing effect most perfectly. The nature of this Invention will, however, be more fully ascertained by the following description of the apparatus which I employ for effecting the above- 20 mentioned purposes. Description of tiie Apparatus. I construct a vessel of gutta percha or other light waterproof material, into which I place salt and ice, or other known freezing mixture, the ice resting upon a perforated or inner false bottom, placed at a convenient distance from 25 the lower part or outer bottom of the said vessel, thus forming a chamber, into which the freezing mixture passes as it becomes liquified, and there is a cock affixed to the bottom of the aforesaid vessel for regulating the discharge of the liquid contents thereof, which pass through a piece of vulcanized india-rubber tubing, one end of which is securely fixed to the aforesaid cock, and the other 30 and opposite end of said tube is securely fixed to a small silver pipe; one end of this pipe is soldered to a circular flat piece of silver, the under side whereof has a screw or thread formed thereon, upon which fits a silver ring, and to this ring a piece of bladder (by preference the bladder from a rabbit) is securely fastened and made water tight in any convenient manner. In some cases, 35 however, I propose employing a piece of metal instead of the above-mentioned bladder, and upon the upper side of the before-mentioned circular piece of